More than 1,000 students and 
Ann Arbor residents filled Hill 
Auditorium on Monday to hear 
keynote speakers principal and 
co-founder of the James and Grace 
Lee Boggs School in Detroit Julia 
Putnam and anti-racism activist 
and writer Tim Wise discuss 
issues of inequality and injustice 

in America.
The keynote memorial lecture 
is just one event in a two-week 
series of discussions, forums and 
events honoring Martin Luther 
King Jr. and his efforts in the civil 
rights movement.
The 
event 
began 
with 
a 
performance from Mosaic Youth 
Theatre before transitioning to 
remarks from Robert Sellers, vice 
provost for equity and inclusion 

and chief diversity officer, as 
well as Scott DeRue, dean of the 
Ross School of Business. DeRue 
introduced University of Michigan 
President Mark Schlissel.
Schlissel said the symposium is 
one of the largest events honoring 
Martin Luther King Jr. in the 
country. He commended the work 
of the event organizers in his 
speech.
“We’re 
proud 
that 
the 

University of Michigan Martin 
Luther King Jr. Symposium is one 
of our nation’s largest university 
celebrations of the life and legacy 
of Dr. King,” Schlissel said. “It 
reflects our desire to serve society 
and strive for a better, more 
equitable, more just and more 
peaceful world.”

michigandaily.com
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Tuesday, January 22, 2019

ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-EIGHT YEARS OF EDITORIAL FREEDOM

Approximately 
300 
protesters marched near the 
entrance of Cobo Center on 
the first night of the North 
American International Auto 
Show in Detroit on Friday. 
Protesters came to support 

causes including the Green 
New Deal and the prevention 
of the General Motors plant 
closures.
The 
Green 
New 
Deal, 
most notably proposed by 
U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-
Cortez, D-N.Y., is a proposal 
aimed at addressing both 
climate change and economic 

inequalities. Many of the 
signs at the demonstration 
represented this ideal with 
phrases such as, “Green Union 
Jobs Now” and, “Clean Air! 
Clean Jobs! Clean Energy!”
The first night of the auto 
show, before it opens to the 
public, is historically the 
Charity Preview. Attendees 

get the first view of the 
show and are encouraged to 
participate in philanthropic 
activities.
The auto show describes 
the Charity Preview as “One 
of the most exclusive, high 
profile events in the nation.” 
w

In honor of Martin Luther 
King Jr. Day, the History and 
Afroamerican 
and 
African 
Studies departments hosted 
a panel discussion titled 
“Fighting 
for 
Our 
Rights: 
Three Young Women Facing 
Southern Racism in the 1960s” 
on Monday to recognize the 
contributions of young women 
to the civil rights struggle.
The panel featured activists 
and former Student Nonviolent 
Coordinating 
Committee 
members Bettie Mae Fikes, 
Marilyn Lowen and University 
Alum Martha Noonan.
The SNCC is an organization 
well known for their activism 
during 
the 
Civil 
Rights 
movement during the 1960s. 
They began from a wave of 
student sit-ins and grew into a 
larger organization with many 
supporters.
The 
event, 
which 
was 
coordinated 
by 
Matthew 
Countryman, 
professor 
of 
history and American culture, 
was part of a larger symposium 
dedicated to celebrating King’s 

GOT A NEWS TIP?
Call 734-418-4115 or e-mail 
news@michigandaily.com and let us know.

INDEX
Vol. CXXVIII, No. 57
©2019 The Michigan Daily

N E WS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

O PI N I O N . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

CL A SSIFIEDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

S U D O K U . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

A R T S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

SPORTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1B -4B
michigandaily.com

For more stories and coverage, visit

‘Circle of 
Unity’ uses 
art to call 
for peace

Annual gathering celebrates history 
of nonviolence through song, dance

ATTICUS RAASCH
Daily News Reporter

About 
300 
students 
and 
faculty attended the 17th Annual 
South Asian Awareness Network 
Conference took place Saturday 
 
at the Michigan League. SAAN is 
a student-run organization at the 
University of Michigan which 
focuses on spreading awareness 
about social justice issues related 
to South Asian communities and 
other communities of color.
The 
conference, 
titled 
“Shifting 
Sands: 
Amplifying 
Stories 
to 
Create 
a 
New 
Narrative,” hosted a variety of 
speakers to discuss social justice 
issues such as sexual and mental 
health, representation in media, 
immigration and transgressing 
gender stereotypes.
SAAN’s vision statement for 
the conference read, “We aim to 
maintain spaces that challenge 
the dominant narrative and 
support those who are not given 
the opportunity to tell their 
stories.”
Students, alumni and Ann 
Arbor residents who attended 
the event were divided into 
small 
groups 
to 
participate 
in 
group 
dialogues 
about 

17th SAAN 
keynote 
talks media 
presence

SHIFTING SANDS

Conference examines 
justice issues facing 
communities of color

CALLIE TEITELBAUM
Daily Staff Reporter

Congresswoman Tlaib supports 300 
protestors outside Detroit Auto Show

Demonstrators march for causes including the Green New Deal and GM plant closures

CATHERINE NOUHAN
Daily Staff Reporter

Female 
civil rights 
activists 
revisit role

SNCC LOOKS BACK

Panel discussion looks at 
contribution of women 
during Civil Rights era

LIAT WEINSTEIN
Daily Staff Reporter

Follow The Daily 
on Instagram, 
@michigandaily

See PROTEST, Page 3A

More than 100 people gathered 
inside Haven Hall for the 13th 
Annual Martin Luther King Jr. 
Day Circle of Unity hosted by the 
Michigan Community Scholars 
Program. 
The event, held in conjunction 
with the University of Michigan’s 
Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King 
Jr. Day Symposium, brought 
people together to honor heritage 
and diversity through different 
art forms.
Gabe 
Colman, 
coordinator 
for 
diversity 
initiatives 
for 
the 
Michigan 
Community 
Scholars Program, reflected on 
the significance of the event, 
commenting on how it offers 
individuals an opportunity to 
come together as one in an often 

polarizing time.
“It’s called a ‘Circle of Unity’ 
because we all hold hands and 
get in a circle and that’s not 
something we do every day,” 
Colman said. “That’s what makes 
it special, especially in the world 
we live in now — it’s super divisive 
and polarizing even on campus. 
It’s cool to see people from all 
different walks of life get together 
in the same room and be able to 
be one.”
The event celebrated King’s 
commitment to social justice, 
peace and unity. Participants 
used song, dance and spoken-
word poetry to honor King’s 
legacy. Local musicians Joe Reilly 
and Julie Beutel were featured 
artists at the event, along with 
the Smile Bringer Singers, a club 

MADELINE MCLAUGHLIN
Daily Staff Reporter

SARAH KUNKEL/Daily
Julia Putnam, principal and co-founder of the James and Grace Lee Boggs School, discusses her school’s reformed approach to education at the MLK Day 
Keynote Memorial Lecture in Hill Auditorium Monday. 

Symposium 
honors Dr. 
King’s fight 
for justice

Speakers discuss importance 
of education and equality in 
remembering MLK’s legacy

See UNITY, Page 3A

See ACTIVISTS, Page 3A

CAMPUS LIFE

See SAAN, Page 3A
ALEXIS RANKIN/Daily
Protestors gather outside of Cobo Center, on the night of the Charity Preview opening of the North American International Autoshow, to raise 
awareness of GM plant closures and the Green New Deal Friday evening.

Read more at 
MichiganDaily.com

Unbeaten run ends 
Michigan basketball falls to 
Wisconsin, 64-54, ending its 
perfect, school record 18-0 
start to the season

» Page 1B